


Déjà Vu at the Showcase!

by ShinyRoothoot



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: Crossdressing, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:22:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25233088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShinyRoothoot/pseuds/ShinyRoothoot
Summary: A new and exciting opportunity arises as Serena is invited to a special Pokémon Showcase, the grand prize being a Hoenn region-inspired, gemstone-encrusted ribbon! But when she comes down with a sudden fever due to an intense training session, it seems to be all for naught. That is, until Bonnie tells Ash she's got a great idea...and it involves him!
Relationships: Satoshi | Ash Ketchum/Serena
Comments: 14
Kudos: 66





	Déjà Vu at the Showcase!

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally written the week of July 17, 2016, but was never published anywhere. By request, I dug it up, revised and added to it, and am sharing the newly completed version—which is nearly twice as long as the original.

“Hey, guys, check this out!” the honey-blonde, short-haired girl called to her friends.

The quartet of youngsters was in the midst of their journey to Lumiose City and the Kalos League competition following a victory at the Snowbelle City Pokémon Gym—despite a temporary setback. But on their way, a notification caught the interest of one of the group, stopping her in her tracks.

“Hey, Serena, whatcha looking at?” Bonnie, the pint-sized, bleach-blonde asked, looking up at her friend, as the two boys in the group stopped and turned to them, equally interested.

“It’s a message from the Showcase Committee,” Serena replied, pointing to the pink device in her hand.

“The Showcase Committee?” the little girl’s big brother, Clemont, asked, adjusting his glasses. “But the Master Class was weeks ago. It’s the off-season, right?”

Serena nodded. “Here, let me read it.”

_Dear Performer,_

_You are cordially invited to participate in a special charity exhibition: the Pokémon Freestyle Performance Invitational Showcase. This special event is being held to honor the deep and cherished relations between the Kalos and Hoenn regions, and to showcase our magnificent Kalosian performers to our special invited guest: Mr. Raoul Contesta. Mr. Contesta, Chief of the Pokémon Activities Committee, specializes in organizing Pokémon Contests in the Hoenn, Kanto, Sinnoh, and Johto regions, and will serve as the head judge for this exhibition._

_While the event itself is being held to raise money for assisting up-and-coming performers and coordinators in both regions, worry not! There is a grand prize for the winner of this exhibition: a beautiful blue ribbon, encrusted in rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Truly a remarkable piece!_

_In the Hoenn region, Pokémon Coordinators compete to secure five contest ribbons in order to gain entry into the Pokémon Grand Festival—regional events comparable to the Master Class in Kalos. While this ribbon is not an official contest ribbon, and thus not permitted to be used to enter the Grand Festival, it will nevertheless be a truly cherished reward for the winner!_

_We hope to see you there!_

_The Pokémon Showcase Committee_

And there, within the message, was a picture of the prize ribbon. Mouth ajar, Serena was speechless, taken in by its magnificent splendor.

“Wow, that’s awesome!” the raven-haired Ash blurted out. “So cool!”

“It’s _so_ pretty!” Bonnie said, fidgeting with glee, unable to contain her excitement. “Please, Serena, you’re gonna do it, aren’t you?”

Serena laughed nervously. “W-well, uh, I’m not sure,” she said, before looking downward. “I mean, that ribbon really is beautiful and I’d love to win it, but that being said—” She paused. “—I don’t think I’ve fully recovered from the Master Class, y’know? I mean, we trained _really_ hard, and while we got close, it still wasn’t enough to win. I don’t really know if I’m ready to compete again just yet.”

Bonnie crossed her arms and pouted. “Aww, that’s not fair.”

Dedenne, seated atop Bonnie’s head, mirrored the young girl’s pout. “Ne-ne!”

“Yeah, that’s a shame,” Ash said, scratching the back of his head. “But I get where Serena’s coming from. I know I always need a break after a big competition. But still, I think that ribbon would look good on you, Serena.”

_Would look good on you, Serena._

_Look good on you, Serena._

_Ribbon…look good…on you…Serena._

Immediately, all other thoughts vanished as the words echoed loudly, and repeatedly, in her mind. Serena felt a blaze building from within, the slight blush covering her face being accompanied by a sudden dose of intense, fiery motivation coursing through her veins like a Moltres bursting out from within a volcano.

It was clear what she had to do.

Grinning, she clenched her hands into fists and struck a confident pose. “ _Then again, I’m always ready for a challenge!_ ” she shouted. “ _That ribbon will be mine!_ ”

“That’s what I like to hear, Serena!” Ash replied with a smile, as Pikachu echoed its trainer’s enthusiasm from his shoulder.

“Well, that was a quick turnaround,” Clemont added, scratching his cheek. Then, he chuckled. “Y’know, you kinda sound like Ash when you talk like that, Serena.”

“ _Huh?!_ ” Serena froze, her eyes widening and cheeks starting to burn even brighter. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Bonnie flashing a smug, knowing grin.

Fortunately for her, however, Ash spoke up to break the awkward moment, seemingly oblivious to the situation.

“So, Serena, where’s this Showcase?” he asked.

Snapping back to attention, she looked back at her guidebook and, after a few moments, smiled. “Well, fortunately, it’s in the next town, on the same path to Lumiose City—only about a mile ahead.”

“Awesome!” Ash replied, pumping his fist. “Then let’s go!”

Ash took off jogging up the path. Serena smiled and quickly followed behind him, herself motivated to start preparing for the new Showcase as soon as possible, with Bonnie coming up the rear not far behind.

Clemont, meanwhile, was left in the dust. “Hey, c’mon, guys!” he whined, forcing himself to take off after everyone. “Do we really have to run so fast?”

* * *

“Braixen, use Fire Blast! Pancham, Stone Edge! Sylveon, Swift!”

Serena ordered each command quickly and decisively, yet with precision. Stripped of her red vest, the performer twirled, arms extended, alongside her Pokémon in an open, grassy field, adamant about getting into the necessary groove. Registered and with only two days before the sudden Showcase, she had to be laser-focused in order to put together a strong, winning performance. After all, she’d heard that the prize ribbon would look good on her; now, all she had to do was win it.

Meanwhile, looking on from a distance, seated at a table on the Pokémon Center’s outdoor patio, was the remaining trio, feasting on some lunch.

“Serena’s working pretty hard,” Clemont said.

“It’s kinda like you said earlier,” Bonnie replied with a smile. “Now she’s _training_ like Ash does, too!”

Ash chuckled, rubbing his finger under his nose. “Heh, Serena _is_ pretty fired up, isn’t she?” He watched her and her Pokémon continue to move gracefully as they practiced their dance routine, before turning his eyes back to the siblings. “But of course she’s fired up! She’s gonna win!”

“Right, of course Serena will win.” Clemont nodded. “That being said, she shouldn’t overwork herself by training too crazy. After all, she’ll need to save her energy for the actual performance.”

“Serena’s strong,” Ash replied without hesitation, his eyes darting back to the performer and her Pokémon. “Yeah, no doubt about it—she’s _really_ strong. And the more she trains with her Pokémon, the stronger they’ll become together.” Then, he held his head in his hand, elbow on the table, eyes still focused on the training session. “They’ve got nothing to worry about.”

The two siblings watched Ash as he spoke, pondering looks etched on their faces. There was something about Ash’s certainty that seemed to carry weight, even if the things he said weren’t honestly that complicated. While Ash could certainly be dumb in more ways than could be counted, one thing he was always firm in his thinking on was the strength of his friends—particularly Serena, it always seemed. The two looked at one another, smiled, and then followed Ash’s move, returning their eyes to the performer’s practicing.

On the grassy field, Serena had decided to break, standing tall to give her Pokémon a pep talk.

“All right, I think this will be a great performance,” she said, hands on her hips as she towered over her partners. “The registrar said this was a smaller event; there will be fewer performers than usual, and there won’t be a Theme Performance either—just the Freestyle Performance. Still…”

Her thoughts began to drift, and she closed her eyes.

_“I think that ribbon would look good on you, Serena.”_

And her cheeks started to lightly flush pink again.

_“Y’know, you kinda sound like Ash when you talk like that, Serena.”_

_Sound like…Ash…_

The more she thought about it, the more she had to admit that Clemont had a point. Ash always talked about training harder and getting stronger, and always insisted that _she_ was strong whenever they talked; more than that, he always made a point of saying that she was much stronger than she knew. Deep down, she always seemed to dismiss the idea. Surely he was just being nice, just being a friend, and just being, well, _Ash_. After all, she wasn’t _that_ strong of a battler—certainly not strong enough to defeat a seasoned trainer or win a badge or compete in the Kalos League.

But still…the _way_ he always said it, and how _hard_ he always insisted, in a way, made her want to believe he was right, believe that she _was_ strong—strong in a different way, perhaps. And that, in and of itself, seemed to drive her to train harder to become as strong as he believed she was.

She placed her hand over the ribbon that draped over her chest.

 _And one way to become as strong as he believes I am_ , she thought, _is to follow his lead._

Opening her eyes, she clenched her hands in front of her, suddenly exploding with a new burst of energy. “…I know we can do it! So let’s train even harder until we’ve perfected our greatest performance yet! All night if we have to!”

As she thrust her fist into the air, her Pokémon cheered, revitalized by their trainer’s infectious energy, and readied themselves for another go at their planned routine.

_After all, if we go for broke and never give up, then there’s no way we can lose._

* * *

_“Is Serena awake yet?”_

_“No, she was up late into the night practicing, so she’s probably exhausted.”_

_“Can you go check on her, Bonnie?”_

_“Sure!”_

_…_

_…_

_“Guys, there’s something wrong with Serena!”_

_…_

_…_

_“This is bad! She’s burning up!”_

_“There’s a hospital in town! We should hurry! Ash, do you think you could carry her?”_

_“No problem!”_

_…_

_…_

Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie stood quietly in the white, sterile room, joined by Braixen, Pancham, and Sylveon, their faces marked with worried looks, the strange events of that morning rushing through their heads again and again as they crowded around the occupied hospital bed.

And lying in the bed, eyes closed, face flushed with red, and body caked in sweat, was Serena. With a damp cloth draped over her forehead to help cool her down and her mouth slightly ajar as she labored to breathe, her sleep looked anything but peaceful.

“This is kinda like déjà vu,” Bonnie said, finally breaking the painful silence of the last several minutes. “Don’t ya think so, Ash?”

“Huh?” the trainer replied, cocking his eyebrow as he turned toward the little girl. “What do you mean?”

Before she could explain further, the three were interrupted by a knock at the door, as one of the doctors they’d met earlier that morning made his way into the room and greeted the trio, clipboard in hand.

“How is she, Doctor?” Clemont asked. It wasn’t the first time he’d asked that question that morning. But now, after so much waiting, he hoped a firm and detailed answer was finally possible.

“She’s running a pretty high fever, so it’s important that she gets as much rest as she can,” the doctor replied. “Tell me, have the four of you been in any extreme cold lately?”

Ash nodded. “Well, yeah, now that you mention it, we were just in Snowbelle City for my gym battle not too far back.”

“But we were all pretty heavily layered for the cold,” Clemont added. “If she got this fever from that, then we’d probably all have caught it, and it wouldn’t have taken this long to feel the adverse effects, since it’s been more than a week.”

“I see,” the doctor said. “However, exposure to cold and wetness without adequate protection isn’t the only way to weaken the body’s immune system to viral infection. Tell me, has your friend been under a lot of intense stress recently?”

“Intense stress?” Bonnie asked, tilting her head. “You can get a fever from stress?”

The doctor nodded. “Yes, indeed. You see, if you’re overstressed, your immune system can be suppressed by the stress, which makes it easier for you to get sick. If it wasn’t the weather, then this might be the case here.”

Before she could ask the doctor to repeat himself—namely, in simpler language—her brother spoke up with a theory. “Well, Serena was training all day yesterday for a Pokémon Showcase,” he said. “Perhaps that could’ve done it?”

“Yeah, she was training like crazy, more than ever!” Bonnie added. “She barely took any breaks and was up for most of the night, too.”

“But wait,” Ash said, scratching his head, “I’m always training super hard, but I don’t catch a fever every time.”

“Well, your body’s used to it, Ash,” Clemont replied. “Since you’re always training like that, I’d presume that your body has adjusted itself accordingly. Serena, on the other hand, was training much more intensely than I’d ever seen her, like Bonnie said.” He scratched his chin. “Come to think of it, I don’t remember her practicing that hard even for the Master Class.”

“That’ll do it,” the doctor said, jotting some information down. “If what you say is true, then your friend likely has a psychogenic fever.”

“A psycho- _what_?” Bonnie replied, a mix of concern and confusion apparent on her face.

The doctor smiled. “Don’t worry; we’ll take good care of your friend. She just needs some rest and medicine to get the fever down, and we can expect a full recovery in just a few days, a week tops.”

“Wait, a few _days_?” Ash suddenly jolted to attention. “But Serena’s Showcase performance is tomorrow morning! She was going to compete!”

“ _Absolutely not_ ,” the doctor replied swiftly, his demeanor hardening considerably. “This girl is in no condition to stand, let alone subject her body to intense physical activity like that. I’m afraid your friend will be in no condition to do any such thing.”

“But—”

“I’m sorry, Ash,” the doctor replied, “but you must realize that this is what’s best for your friend.” The doctor tucked the clipboard under his arm. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other patients to attend to. All of you can stay until visiting hours are over, but be careful to keep your distance. We wouldn’t want any of you to catch fevers, too.” With that, he made his way out the door.

After the door shut, Ash’s eyes shifted back to Serena. He clenched his fists and groaned in frustration. “It’s just not fair,” he said, folding his arms over his chest. “Serena was _so_ excited for this performance, so pumped. She was training _so_ hard. To miss out on it—all _because_ she trained so hard—it’s just not fair.”

“I know it’s not fair, Ash,” Clemont replied, his brow drooping. “But there’s nothing we can do. The doctor’s right; she’s in no condition to perform. It’s unfortunate, but it’s the sad truth.”

Ash opened his mouth to respond, but the words weren’t there. Clemont was right, but for once he wished he wasn’t. Instead, he sighed, removing his hat and running a hand through his hair.

“Ash, I think I should stay here for now, in case the doctor comes back with new information,” Clemont said. “Would you mind heading back to the Pokémon Center to withdraw Serena from the Showcase?”

Before Ash could reply, a faint voice was heard from the bed.

“St-stron…ger…”

His eyes shifted back toward the bed, only to see Serena still asleep, merely mumbling in her dreams. Frowning, Ash returned his hat to his head, rubbed both hands over his face, and sighed again. Then, he turned back to Clemont. “I guess there really is no other choice, is there?”

Clemont shook his head.

Ash took one more look at Serena before turning toward the door. “All right, then,” he said, seemingly in defeat. “C’mon, Pikachu, I really don’t wanna do this, but I guess we have to.”

As Bonnie remained fixated on Serena’s clammy state, her mind couldn’t help but drift back several weeks, when the roles were different.

_A training session gone awry…_

_A fever in the face of an impending challenge…_

_A desire not to give up even in the face of the odds..._

But something was particularly different this time.

 _They_ were _about to give up._

The little girl’s brow tightened, her back straightened, and she took a step forward.

Just as Pikachu leaped onto Ash’s shoulder and he pulled the door open, Bonnie spoke up. “I’m going, too!” she said, both Squishy and Dedenne comfortably seated in her bag perking up in curiosity.

Though Clemont almost protested on instinct, he managed to stop himself. Bonnie saw Serena like a big sister, he knew, and she probably wanted a break from seeing her in this state, and wanted to be with Ash when he made this difficult decision for her.

“All right, Bonnie,” he said, his brow creasing. “Stay close to Ash and don’t get into trouble.”

As the door shut behind Ash and Bonnie, Clemont turned his eyes back to his resting friend, standing beside her three cherished Pokémon who were watching over their bedridden trainer.

He sighed. “I’m so sorry, Serena. But we had no choice.”

* * *

“It’s just not fair.”

As the two walked through the empty streets on their way to the Pokémon Center, Ash couldn’t help but continue stressing his displeasure at the situation.

“She was working so hard yesterday, she _knew_ she was gonna win, and her Pokémon were absolutely determined to make sure she did,” he said, nominally to Bonnie, though he was really only speaking his thoughts out loud. “I wish we didn’t have to do this, but like Clemont said, what else can we do?”

“Y’know, this isn’t like you, Ash.”

“Hmm?” Ash stopped in his tracks, pulled out of his rambling thoughts, and turned to face the source of the remark. “What’re you talking about, Bonnie?”

Behind him, the little girl simply stared with a strained look. “I mean, it’s just kinda weird to see you giving up,” she replied. “Especially when you usually talk about how important it is to never give up.”

Ash nervously chuckled. “Uh, yeah, I do, don’t I?” he said, scratching his cheek. “The thing is, it’s kinda different this time.”

“But you’ve never made exceptions! You’re always so strong and sure of yourself, even when things look bad! You and Pikachu never give up!”

“I know, Bonnie, but Serena’s _really_ sick.” Ash knelt down to Bonnie’s eye-level and placed a hand on her shoulder. “The doctor said she can’t compete in the Showcase because she’s got a really bad fever. I really, _really_ wish she could compete, but we can’t just drag her out of bed. She needs to rest so she can get better.”

Bonnie looked deep into Ash’s eyes. “I know, but what if she _didn’t_ have to leave her bed to compete in the Showcase?”

“Huh?” Ash raised an eyebrow at the young girl, Pikachu mirroring his confusion. “Uh, I don’t get it. What do you mean?”

“I think I’ve got an idea that means Serena won’t have to withdraw,” Bonnie said. Then, suddenly, a grin formed on her face. “And it involves _you_ , Ash!”

* * *

“ _Whaaaaaat!?_ ”

“ _Pikaaaaaa!?_ ”

Their exasperated cries echoed through the streets; though, luckily, nobody was around to hear them.

Ash was utterly stunned, his face burning red with embarrassment. Pikachu shared his shock.

Bonnie stood with her arms crossed, a satisfied look on her face. “Well?” she asked. “What do ya think?”

“Y-you want _me_ to compete in the Showcase?” he stammered. “ _As_ Serena?!”

Bonnie simply smiled. “Uh-huh! If you dress up as Serena and compete in her place, she can still win the ribbon!” She playfully poked her tongue out.

After darting his eyes around to make sure the coast was clear, Ash cupped his hand to his mouth and lowered his voice. “B-but Bonnie, there’s no way I can do that,” he replied.

She crossed her arms and pouted. “I thought you really wished Serena could compete? Don’t you want to help Serena out, Ash?”

“Of course I want to help Serena out,” he replied without hesitation. Then, he became sheepish. “B-but isn’t this a bit much?”

“Y’know, I’m disappointed in you, Ash.” She shook her head. “Especially since she did it for you without even thinking twice about it.”

“Huh?”

Bonnie rolled her eyes. “Don’t you remember, Ash? It was just a few weeks ago! You couldn’t have forgotten already, could you?”

She watched as the gears slowly started turning in Ash’s head, then sighed.

“Back when that super loud trainer with the Pikachu and the guitar came by and challenged you to a battle!” she said. “You were sick, so Serena dressed up like you and battled in your place when you couldn’t do it yourself! Remember?”

Ash’s eyes widened. “Uh, yeah…I course I do.”

_“So, Serena? You battled in my place, right?”_

_…_

_“We can talk about that later.”_

The memories of that day suddenly came flooding back.

He’d been up all night training with Pikachu and Greninja, and he’d gotten soaked by the river they were training nearby. The next day was mostly a blur, but when he finally came to, he left the tent to find Team Rocket in the midst of one of their dumb plans to steal Pikachu again…and Serena wearing his clothes, having taken it upon herself to battle on his behalf.

And later that night, when he asked her why she did it…

_“Uh, well, b-because I knew that had you known you’d been challenged, you would’ve pushed yourself to battle anyway, even if you were in no condition to do so. So, I, uh, felt I had to do it for your sake, heh.”_

_Do it for my sake…_

“Ash?”

He snapped out of it and focused back on the young blonde.

“Well?” she said. “If you do remember, then why won’t you do for her what she did for you?” Her head drooped. “I never thought you’d be one to let Serena down, Ash. Serena _really_ wanted to win that ribbon, and with your help, she still can.”

As he stared at the downcast girl, and his thoughts ceased racing, he glanced at Pikachu, sadness in its eyes too, placed his hands on his hips, and sighed. “All right, Bonnie,” he finally said, giving into the guilt trip. “I’ll do it.”

“Hurray!”

The girl’s sadness was instantly replaced with cheerful glee and she jumped for joy, arms raised over her head, Dedenne echoing her happiness.

Ash scratched the back of his head. “But I still don’t know how you plan to do this, Bonnie,” he said, one eyebrow raised. “After all, I don’t look anything like Serena.”

“Leave that to me!” Bonnie replied, smiling widely. “I’ve got a plan! Plus, I’ve learned a lot of stuff from Serena that can help! We’ll just need to head back to the Pokémon Center.” Her eyes narrowed and smile grew even wider as she grabbed Ash’s arm and started pulling. “But first, we’ll need to do some shopping!”

* * *

“ _Ta-daaaaaaa!_ ”

Ash stared in disbelief at the array of items laid out on the bed—a short blonde wig, powder, blue contact lenses, and a face veil, all alongside Serena’s performance dress, the one her mom had gotten her just before her first Showcase, with accompanying black tights and red formal shoes. It was a mix of their earlier shopping and the contents of Serena’s craft box.

Before Ash could say anything, Bonnie cleared her throat. “Now, Ash, since you’re going to be taking Serena’s place, there are going to have to be some ground rules,” she said, standing straight as she delivered her orders, wagging her finger like a schoolteacher. “First, you have to say as little as possible, and, when you _have_ to talk, try to talk like a girl. If anyone says your voice sounds weird, tell them you’ve got a sore throat.

“Next, don’t let anyone get a good look at your face. Keep your back turned as much as you can, keep Serena’s hat on even during the performance, and wear that veil over your face at all times!

“And finally, if you see any of Serena’s rivals, like Shauna or Miette, _do not say anything to them!_ ”

“At all?” Ash asked.

“At all! They especially can’t know!”

“But we’re all friends, Bonnie. I’m sure they’d underst—”

“ _No!_ ” Bonnie thundered. “When Serena pretended to be you, she was really serious about keeping it a secret! You have to do the same for her!”

“All right, all right,” Ash replied, scratching his cheek. “I gotcha. Let nobody know.”

“Good.” Bonnie grabbed the clothes, veil, and wig, and tossed them into Ash’s arms before pushing him toward the changing room adjacent to the bedroom. “Now, hurry up and put those on! The other stuff can wait for the real performance, but let’s see how you look so far!” Despite Ash’s mild protests, she pushed him in and slammed the door behind him.

After several minutes of fumbling and whining coming from behind the door, Bonnie’s head perked upward as she heard the lock click and saw the door finally swing open. As Ash took a few steps out of the changing room, and Bonnie got a good look, her eyes lit up with sparkles. Mouth agape, she instinctively placed her hands on her flushed cheeks and marveled at the display in front of her.

“Wowee! It’s perfect!”

* * *

“Bonnie, Ash, I’m back!”

Clemont made his way into their room, finding Ash and Bonnie seated together on the edge of the bed, discussing something—though their discussion immediately ceased as he made himself present. For a moment, he worried that Ash’s cheeks looked a bit pinker than usual, but quickly dismissed it as just his imagination.

“Clemont!” Ash said, perhaps a bit louder than he intended. “Er, uh—you were gone a long time.”

Clemont paused for a moment, recalling the orange sky from his walk back, and then nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he replied, with a slight chuckle. “I didn’t intend to spend the whole day there, but Pancham, Braixen, and Sylveon didn’t want to leave Serena’s side.” He adjusted his glasses, looking down at one of his side pockets. “But, unfortunately, the hospital’s rules don’t allow for visiting Pokémon to be unsupervised, so I had to bring them back with me when visiting hours ended.”

“That’s great!” Bonnie said.

Clemont raised an eyebrow. “It is?”

Just as Bonnie realized the awkwardness of her ill-timed glee, Ash stepped forward to make the save. “I think what Bonnie means is that she really wants to take care of them,” he said, much to the little girl’s relief. “Y’know, keep them company and try to cheer them up.”

“Oh, yeah, I guess that’s true,” Clemont replied, reaching into his pocket and pulling out three Poké Balls. “They clearly had a rough day, but maybe you can try to lift their spirits a bit.” He stretched out his arms and yawned big. “Well, I think I’m going to head to bed—long day, I suppose.”

“I’m gonna stay up for a little while longer,” Bonnie said.

“All right, Bonnie, but don’t say up too late,” he replied.

“Don’t worry, Clemont, I just wanna play with Serena’s Pokémon! Besides, Ash will be with me.” She smiled. “And we thought of something while you were gone that’s sure to cheer them up!”

Ash stiffened quickly, quietly choking back a yelp. “Y-yeah, it’s _something_ , alright.”

“Huh? What kind of something?” Clemont asked.

“It’s a surprise, Clemont!” Bonnie replied tersely. “We’ll tell them when they come out! Now, why don’t you just go to bed already?”

Though he wanted to probe further with his questioning, he had to admit that the allure of sleep in a nice, warm bed sounded too good to pass up right about now. Scratching the back of his head, he relented. “O-okay then, I guess,” he said, handing the three Poké Balls to his sister.

As the two made their way out and shut the door behind them to give Clemont peace and quiet, Ash breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, that takes care of that,” he said, turning to Bonnie, who gently cradled the Poké Balls in her arms.

“All right!” she said. “Let’s go!”

The two made their way to the battlefield just outside the Center, with Bonnie getting a running start, the setting sun bathing everything in its orange glow.

“All right,” Bonnie said as she tossed all three Poké Balls, “come on out, everyone!”

One by one, Serena’s Pokémon materialized before them. As they looked around and found themselves alone with Ash and Bonnie, their gloomy expressions changed ever so slightly to ones of confusion.

“Good news, everyone!” Bonnie said with a smile. “You’re going to get to perform in the Showcase tomorrow after all!”

The three Pokémon perked up and looked at one another.

“Braixen? Brai?”

“Pan-Pancham.”

Then they looked around for their trainer, who was nowhere to be found.

Bonnie continued, “Y’see, I thought of a plan!” She smiled wider. “Ash is going to dress up as Serena and compete in her place!”

There was dead silence.

Then, shortly after, the silence was replaced by exasperated cries of shock and confusion.

Braixen turned to Pikachu. “Brai-Braixen?”

“Pika,” Pikachu replied, shrugging.

Ash placed a hand on his forehead. “They don’t seem convinced.”

Bonnie took a step closer, leaning forward with her hands on her knees. “Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon, I know you’re really worried about Serena. So are we. But I know how much you and Serena wanted to perform!”

“Pancham?” The panda Pokémon pointed at Ash.

Bonnie nodded. “It’ll be just like when Serena did it for Ash when he got sick!”

“Y-yeah.” The cloudy memories of that day continued to spiral through Ash’s mind.

Braixen and Pancham turned toward each other with quizzical looks. Sylveon’s, meanwhile, was unreadable.

Faced with their continued skepticism, Bonnie’s face began to falter. “Please, Braixen, Pancham, Sylveon. Serena wanted to win that ribbon so much, and we just don’t want to let her down.” She looked up toward Ash. “Ash doesn’t want to let her down.” She looked back at the Pokémon. “Please.”

There was silence again. The expressions on Braixen and Pancham’s faces remained unchanged.

Then, Ash began to speak up. “Look, guys. I know this isn’t the kinda thing you really want to do. I’m not Serena, and I’m not a Pokémon Performer—” He paused. “—but it’s just like Bonnie said. Serena was so psyched to compete tomorrow, so psyched to win with you, and to have it taken away from her all _because_ she was training so hard with you guys—” He paused again, then sighed. “It’s just not fair.”

As the silence continued to hang in the air, Ash clenched his fist and shut his eyes, his head drooping. It seemed the Pokémon had made up their minds.

Suddenly, Ash felt something wrap around his arm. It was light, warm, tender, and silky smooth. The feeling was oddly reassuring, like all his worries were vanishing and his uncertainties were being cleared away. He opened his eyes, and looked to the source.

“S-Sylveon?”

Ash looked on in wonderment. The Pokémon had stepped forward and wrapped its ribbon-like feelers around his arm, and was staring him in the face with a look that seemed brimming with passion.

“D-does that mean you want to do it?” Ash asked.

Sylveon nodded. “Syl!” Then, it turned to Braixen and Pancham, who, like Ash, looked on with awe.

Without any further exchange, the two other Pokémon hardened their expressions in determination and nodded back, stepping forward to join its side in front of Ash.

Bonnie’s smile returned. “Ash, I think Sylveon convinced them to give you a chance!”

The events before him fully sinking in, Ash’s cheeks began to glow a light pink, and a smile of matching determination replaced his open-mouthed awe. “Well then, I guess it’s time to practice,” he said, pumping his fist. “I’m going to train until I can do her performance, even if it takes all night.” He adjusted his cap. “And, together, we’re not gonna give up till it’s over.”

* * *

“ _Big brother, we’ve gotta hurry!_ ”

The combination of the door slamming open and the ear-piercing shout jolted Clemont out of his sleep with a yelp, and caused him to topple out of his bed with a _thud_. Reaching up to the nightstand, he grabbed his glasses and put them on, his vision clearing up to show his little sister standing over him, giddily hopping from foot to foot in place, Pikachu beside her.

“Bonnie!” he whined. “I was having a really great dream! What’s going on? And where’s Ash?”

“There’s no time to waste, Clemont! Get dressed quickly! We gotta go and watch Serena’s performance!”

Clemont paused for a moment as the words registered, cocking an eyebrow in the process. “ _Huh?_ Wait, what are you talking about?” he finally blurted out. “Didn’t you and Ash withdraw her name from the competition yesterday?”

“There was no need!” Bonnie replied with a smile. “We figured something out!” She tossed his jumpsuit at him. “Now c’mon, stop being so slow and get ready! It’s starting soon!”

As Clemont hastily fumbled his way into his clothes, Bonnie grabbed his hand and began dragging him as fast as she could, out of the room, out of the Pokémon Center, and toward the arena where the Showcase was due to begin in less than half an hour, all as he continued to whine out loud and question internally.

 _They figured something out?_ he thought to himself, recalling Serena’s lowly state just the other day. _But what?_

* * *

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!”

The main lights inside the arena dimmed as the spotlights took over, illuminating a tall, blond figure center stage, dressed head to toe in black and blue, his head topped with a tall hat, and a large staff in his hand.

The figure snapped his fingers. “My name is Monsieur Pierre, and I welcome you to ze Pokémon Freestyle Performance Invitational Showcase, a special event held in collaboration between Kalos’s own Pokémon Showcase Committee and ze Pokémon Activities Committee, headquartered in ze Hoenn region, and featuring some of ze finest Pokémon Performers in ze Kalos region, who will dazzle you with grace and elegance!”

The crowd erupted into passionate cheers as the thickly-accented host continued his introduction.

“And today, as a special treat, we are joined by our judge for this event, all the way from ze Hoenn region, ze Chief of ze Pokémon Activities Committee, and long-time Pokémon Contest judge, Monsieur Contesta!”

With another snap, spotlights glistened down on Contesta, dressed in a red suit and black tie, his hair neatly slicked back, as he stood in front of his judging table, facing the audience.

“Hello, everyone,” Contesta said, his joyful yet authoritative voice booming into his microphone and throughout the arena. “I’m so excited to witness the best the Kalos region’s gifted performers and their Pokémon have to offer, and I’m truly honored to have been invited to judge this truly unique event.”

The spotlights promptly returned to Monsieur Pierre.

“And, of course, ze winner of the Invitational Showcase shall be awarded with a truly priceless gift: a magnificent blue ribbon, encrusted in ruby, sapphire, and emerald gemstones, reminiscent of ze ribbons that Pokémon Coordinators compete for in Pokémon Contests!”

As Monsieur Pierre snapped once more, his faithful Pokémon Klefki flew into view, revealing the prize ribbon for all to see, before handing it off to him.

“ _Alors_ , without further ado, we shall now start ze performances!” he declared, before snapping one final time. “ _S’il vous plait_!”

* * *

_Why did I agree to this?_

Ash stood alongside Serena’s Pokémon in a snug, private changing room. Each performer had been given their own for the event—as the “invitational” aspect meant the line-up was more exclusive than a typical Rookie Class Showcase open to all comers—and, at this time, he couldn’t have been more grateful for that fact. The very thought of being stuck in an all-girls changing room, surrounded…made him extremely uncomfortable.

But now, that was the least of his worries.

The more Ash stared into the mirror, the less convincing he thought he looked. Sure, the wig looked _okay_ …and the blue contacts and his powdered skin made him look less like…himself…

Still, he thought, even with the lower half of his face covered by a veil, and the rest of himself clad in her performance garb, one thing was crystal clear to him…

He wasn’t Serena.

He glanced at the Pokémon, all dressed in their performing best, and frowned as he took notice of the concerned looks on their faces.

“Yeah,” he said, placing a hand on the back of his neck, “I know.”

He was still amazed at how he’d managed to make it through check-in and into this changing room without the ruse being exposed. Perhaps the disguise was better than he thought, he wondered. Maybe it was because he knew Serena better, knew exactly what she looked like, and could point out a phony with ease.

A far cry from when he’d failed to recognize her back in Santalune City, he couldn’t help but remember.

Nevertheless, as he looked back into the mirror, feelings of doubt slowly began creeping back into his mind.

_What was I thinking?_

_I can’t be Serena._

_I can’t perform like her._

_I_ definitely _can’t dance like her._

_I mean, I know her routine because I watched her practice it for so long…_

_And sure, me and Pikachu competed in a contest before, way back in Sinnoh…_

_But still…what if I get found out on stage?_

_What if I end up humiliating her, all while she’s sick?_

He grimaced.

_Wait, no…am I overthinking things again?_

_I mean, like Bonnie said…she_ did _do it when I was sick…_

_Maybe Bonnie’s right…_

_Maybe I do have to do this._

_But what if…_

Ash grabbed fistfuls of his wig and groaned in frustration. “Gah, this _so_ isn’t like me!” he said, alarming the three beside him with his sudden outburst. “Why can’t I think clearly?”

There was a knock at the door.

Ash recoiled harshly, then froze in place, a cold chill running up his spine.

Before he could say a word, or even process fully what was going on, the door started to creak open and he heard the click-clacking of heeled shoes making their way into the room.

“Hey, Serena!”

_That voice…_

A quick glance behind him through the mirror confirmed his suspicions. The blue hair, the red eyes, the Slurpuff and Meowstic…

It was Miette.

_Uh-oh._

As if by instinct, Ash straightened his back and grabbed both ends of his wig, pulling them to cover as much of his face as possible.

Sure, Miette was a friend, and she’d probably understand if he told her…

But still…

He was in Serena’s shoes now— _literally_. Bonnie was right; to Serena, she was a rival—and a very competitive one at that. A friend, too, sure; but still a rival.

“Uh, Serena, did you hear me?”

“Slurpuff! Slur?”

Ash was forced out of his racing thoughts, back to this moment, Serena’s blue-haired rival looming behind him.

“Mhm,” Ash mumbled through his veil, turning ever so slightly to wave, while making sure not to turn too far. Luckily for him, Serena’s Pokémon took the initiative to greet the rival performer, as Ash pretended to busy himself at the mirror.

“Hello, everyone,” Miette said with a smile, before turning back to her fellow performer. “So, Serena, it’s been a while since the Master Class. Can’t say I’m surprised you were invited, what with you being the runner-up.”

Ash fidgeted a bit, then nodded. “Mhm.”

Miette frowned, raising an eyebrow. “Geez, you’re chatty today, aren’t you?” Then, a light bulb went off in her head, and a cat-like grin stretched across her face. “Wait a second…did you finally tell Ash?”

“ _Huh?_ ” Ash blurted out in surprise, just barely maintaining the falsetto he’d practiced with Bonnie. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to notice.

As no further reply followed, Miette’s grin quickly faded. Something about being practically ignored by her rival seemed to set her off.

“ _Really?!_ You _still_ haven’t told him? Even after the Master Class?”

Ash jumped at the performer’s sudden change in volume.

_Told me what?_

Faced with the deafening silence, the performer furrowed her brow.

“I really can’t believe you,” she finally said, a much more pointed tone than Ash had ever heard from her. She seemed genuinely annoyed by something—something having to do with Serena…and him? “I mean, you have _so_ many chances, and yet you waste every single one of them.”

_What is she talking about? What hasn’t Serena told me? And how does Miette know about it?_

She continued, “Geez, Serena, and to think I push you so hard to make progress, to set your nerves aside and make your move, and yet you just can’t do it! It’s becoming so frustrating! You’re so talented at so many things— _you nearly beat Aria and became Kalos Queen!_ —and yet _this_ is what you have so much trouble with?”

_Progress?_

Miette threw her hands in the air. “I mean, what more do I have to do to break you out of that shell of yours?” she asked. “I ask him if he’s got anyone to ‘take care’ of him; I flirt with him at every opportunity; and I even ask him to be my date to Pierre’s dance party, even though I _know_ you totally wanted him to be _your_ date but, once again, you were too timid and shy to ask him out yourself—so you settled for _Clemont_!”

Ash blinked several times, gears slowly beginning to turn as the words started to sink in. Any pretend busyness he was engaged in at the mirror had completely ceased as he tried to make sense of Miette’s words.

“Y’know, it’s obvious he cares a lot about you, Serena, even if he doesn’t quite get it yet,” she said, rolling her eyes and placing a hand on her hip. “When I asked him who he’d cheer for at the Master Class, between you and me, he didn’t even hesitate to pick you—like, it wasn’t even a question to him!”

There was silence. Even the Pokémon were too uncomfortable to intervene, each trying to avoid eye contact with either trainer.

Miette shook her head. “It’s sad, really,” she said, a feeling of wistfulness as she lowered her voice. “Ash clearly believes so much in you, and yet you still can’t believe enough in yourself to just tell him you _like_ him—that you _love_ him.”

Ash’s eyes widened. He felt his stomach jump—and, for once, it wasn’t a feeling of hunger. His heart, too, felt like it had stopped. For a moment, he forgot where he was, and couldn’t speak even if he wanted to. It was like time itself had stopped for him, but not for anyone else.

At the continuing silence, Miette’s expression descended further into a scowl.

“Well, aren’t you going to say _anything_ , Serena?” she shouted, both hands on her hips now.

Nothing.

Miette thrust her chin into the air. “ _Fine_ ,” she said coldly. “But believe me, Serena; if you let him leave without telling him how you feel, after all the time you’ve spent with him, you will regret it for the rest of your life.”

She nodded to her Pokémon and made her way toward the door.

“I’ll see you on stage,” she said as she pulled the door open. “For your sake, I hope you finally wake up and realize that if you keep on hesitating, he’s not going to be by your side for much longer.”

She made her way out, shutting the door behind her, leaving Ash alone with the Pokémon, and his thoughts. His eyes had long gone out of focus and his arms had fallen from covering his face to hanging by his sides. Though he weakly stared at the mirror, it was more like he was staring right through it. He stood completely motionless; even his breaths had seemed to stop.

Unnerved by the trainer’s frozen state, Braixen, Pancham, and Sylveon all eyed each other with concern. Worried, the fox and panda Pokémon stepped forward and tugged on his leg, trying to get his attention, trying to snap him out of his daze. It was no use.

Finally, Sylveon stepped forward and wrapped its feelers around the trainer’s arm, like it had before, and its own eyes widened at what it felt. It was strong. It was intense. And it seemed to be getting even stronger and more intense by the moment. Mouth now agape, the Fairy-type Pokémon froze in place as well, taking in the magnitude of what it was feeling.

The other two Pokémon each took notice as Ash’s frozen hand slowly began to tremble, and then curled into a fist. Before they knew it, he lowered his face veil, furrowed his brow, and looked at them with narrowed eyes that seemed hyperfocused on…something. It was a very serious face, like it’d been made of granite.

And then, they saw a grin rise upon it, and a _hmm_ sound escape from behind his closed mouth.

“Well, guys,” Ash finally said, his voice calm and measured, as he adjusted the pink fedora that adorned his head. “Let’s get out there and give it everything we’ve got.” Then, he thrust his fist in front of his face. “And let’s win this one for Serena!”

It took the Pokémon a few moments to process what Ash was saying, and how quickly he’d returned to something akin to his normal self. Then, almost as if by instinct, their own expressions hardened into ones of determination that matched his own. They turned and nodded at each other, and then nodded back at Ash.

“Brai-Braixen!”

“Pancham! Pan!”

“Syl!”

Raising the veil back over his face, brushing off the dress’s skirt with his hands, and adjusting the shape of his upper chest—which Bonnie had suggested he stuff with padding for reasons he still didn’t fully understand—for comfort, Ash nodded and turned toward the door. “That’s what I like to hear! Now, let’s go!”

* * *

“Here are our seats, Clemont!”

Bonnie dragged her brother, who was sweating profusely and desperately gasping for air, into the row and pushed him into the empty seat before hoping into one next to it. From the speakers within the arena as they made their way in and around, they knew they’d already missed several performances, but luckily, they hadn’t heard Serena’s name called yet. It had taken an aggressive sprint, but the two had made it, as much pain as it had caused Clemont.

As Clemont finally started to regain his breath, he turned to his sister, whose eyes were now firmly affixed to the grand stage before them and glistening with anticipation.

“C’mon, Bonnie, tell me,” he asked. “What’s this thing you and Ash figured out?”

“Be patient, big brother!” she replied, petting Pikachu who sat on her lap with a worried expression. “I said you’ll see!”

Before Clemont could insist on an answer, Monsieur Pierre’s voice returned and the murmuring in the crowd quieted to a silence.

“Ze wait is over, ladies and gentlemen. It is now my pleasure to introduce our final performance for your enjoyment, which will be performed by a very special performer!

“She was ze runner-up of ze last Master Class, and will no doubt continue to excel as a Pokémon Performer for many years to come. Put your hands together for ze incredible…Performer Serena!”

The crowd erupted into a wave of deafening cheers and applause as a spotlight flashed on, illuminating the platform, center stage, as it slowly rose. In its center stood a honey-blonde-haired figure, dressed in a pink dress with white trimmings, black tights, a veil over their face, and a pink fedora topping their head. The figure was flanked by a Braixen, a Pancham, and a Sylveon.

Clemont was floored. It _looked_ like Serena, he thought to himself. But that was impossible. Serena was completely bedridden only a few hours before. No doubt she’d still be there now. There was no way this was actually Serena.

_So…who’s this?_

He reached into his backpack and pulled out one of his working inventions—eyeglasses with magnification—put them on, and squinted, adjusting them to get a better and closer look.

Then, with one good glance, it hit him. And his eyes grew wide. He jumped out of his seat in shock, throwing his arms into the air, and screamed. “ _Is that A—?!_ ”

Before he could complete his sentence, Bonnie lunged at her big brother, forcefully covering his mouth with both her hands. “ _Be quiet, big brother! You’re so noisy! People are trying to watch the show!_ ”

Clemont continued with his muffled screaming for a few moments more until he noticed the unwanted attention he was getting from nearby audience members, as well as what seemed to be a readied electric threat from Pikachu if he did not quiet down. Blushing deeply in embarrassment, he started bowing and issuing a flurry of apologies. As the attention subsided and their eyes returned to the performer on stage, he turned back to Bonnie.

“So _this_ is the surprise you told the Pokémon last night?” Clemont asked in a hushed, yet alarmed, voice. “ _This_ is what you and Ash figured out?!”

Bonnie stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth. “Heh, yeah!”

Eyes still wide and pounding heart only starting to slow to a normal pace, Clemont simply leaned back into his seat and placed his hand on his temple. “Well, I guess that’s just how it is.”

“Pika-pi,” Pikachu said as it looked down on the stage, hoping dearly that four of them could manage this on their own.

Back on the stage, Ash was already starting to sweat.

In front of him was a sea of people, any one of whom a risk of potentially exposing his identity; nevertheless, his thoughts, which earlier had filled him with nothing but worry, now steeled his resolve.

_The late-night training session…_

_The support of Serena’s Pokémon…_

_And…some unintended words of clarity from Miette…_

Suddenly, it seemed to make perfect sense why he was wearing a dress, standing on a stage in front of a massive crowd, and pretending to be a Pokémon Performer.

His worries were gone.

The sweating subsided.

Now, he knew, it was time to win.

He turned to each of the Pokémon that flanked him. “Ready, everyone?” he asked in falsetto.

As they each nodded with looks of confidence marking their faces, Ash adjusted the white gloves on his hands, adjusted the fedora again, and smiled under his veil.

With a final deep breath, he turned straight ahead and nodded. “Then, let’s do this.”

He thrust his arm high into the air, signaling for Braixen and Pancham to leap upward.

“Braixen, use Flamethrower! Pancham, Dark Pulse!”

“Brai!”

“Pan!”

As the two attack streams collided, Ash pointed straight at it. “All right, Sylveon, hit it with Swift!”

As the volley of stars collided with the streams, it exploded, filling the air with shimmering stardust. The heated dark energy manifested as a spatial-looking field, mixed with the stardust from the exploded Swift attack, creating a dazzling display, and eliciting _oohs_ and _aahs_ from the crowd.

The Pokémon landed, Ash struck a pose, and they all took in the adulation of the admiring crowd. With one combo in the bag, the crowd seemed to be in the palm of their hands.

“All right,” Ash said, “let’s turn up the heat!”

High up in the crowd, Clemont and Bonnie were stunned.

“Wowee! So pretty!” Bonnie said with glee.

“It’s like a star cluster, but indoors!” Clemont added, mouth agape. “I’m truly in awe!”

As their performance routine continued, just as she remembered it from the previous night’s practice—and before that, from Serena’s original practicing—Bonnie couldn’t help but give a wide, open-mouthed smile. “They all look so happy!”

Clemont nodded. “Braixen, Pancham, and Sylveon are really giving it their all. And A—I mean, _Serena_ is really continuing to exceed my wildest expectations. I never knew he—er, _she_ could do something like this.” Then, he thought for a moment, and his face began to falter. “But still, there is one problem I see.”

Bonnie looked up, raising her eyebrows. “Huh? What’s that?”

Clemont put one hand on the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly. “Ash still can’t dance.”

Her heart seemed to skip a beat. Then, instantly, she started to panicked. “ _Oh no, I forgot!_ ”

“ _De-ne-ne!_ ” Dedenne mirrored her concern.

Clemont placed a hand on her shoulder. “Well, it’s too late now,” he said, trying to be calming. “We just have to hope that it’s not a big deal.”

But inside, he started to worry more, too. Performances were primarily about the Pokémon, sure. But dancing was always a key component, and the Pokémon Performers always got in on the dancing, too. Serena, he knew, was an excellent dancer. In fact, even before she took up performing she’d proclaimed herself a dancing expert, and even tried to help teach Ash before he battled Korrina for a badge.

But that hadn’t worked out. The truth was, Ash just _couldn’t_ dance.

He sighed, then turned back to the stage. “I trust they have what it takes to exceed everyone’s expectations.”

* * *

“Aa…aah…”

It was eerily quiet.

Everything was blurry, only vague, incomprehensible shapes barely visible off to the side.

Minutes passed, or at least they seemed like minutes.

Slowly, the surroundings started to come into focus.

Finally, the quiet was broken by a weak voice.

“Aa…hmm…? Huh? Wh-where am I?”

Serena looked around, blinking several times, finally starting to take in her surroundings.

“A h-hospital?” she said in a raspy voice, raising an eyebrow. “H-how’d I get here?”

_I mean, I feel awful, and I sound awful, so I guess I was brought here because I’m sick._

She tried to sit up, but quickly cringed, her head immediately feeling light, forcing her to crash back down onto her pillow, the damp cloth atop her forehead falling onto her chest in the process. With a groggy groan, she rolled over onto her side, every bone and joint in her body aching and protesting her decision, as she turned to face the window, where light was coming in. It was daytime.

But _which_ day, she didn’t know.

Had she only been asleep for a few hours, she thought, or had it been an entire day?

_Or days?_

She shifted her eyes to the clock above the hospital door. It was a quarter to ten.

She sighed. “Well, if today’s the day of the Showcase, then I guess I missed it,” she whispered to herself, a pang of disappointment gripping her.

Her eyes continued to shift around the empty room, her own thoughts seemingly deafening compared to the silence, occasionally broken by the sound of wind from outside.

“I guess I trained too hard and got sick. Kinda like what happened with Ash.” She grabbed the still-damp cloth and placed it back on her forehead. “But training like Ash was obviously too much for me.” Then, she lightly chuckled. “I guess I can be so impatient sometimes.”

A weak smile crept across her face as she thought about Ash. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. For a moment, she imagined the hospital blanket was Ash’s arms and wrapped it tightly around her body. Her cheeks started burning—well, a bit more than the illness had already made them burn. “Still…he’s always becoming stronger, and I want to become stronger _with_ him.”

Then, something hit her, forcing her sleepy, closed eyes to spring open. Suddenly, she was wide awake, looking around the room fervently.

“Wait a minute, where’s Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie?” she asked out loud. Then, she looked at the table beside her bed and noticed no bag, or Poké Balls, either, and her confusion turned to concern. “And where are my Pokémon?”

* * *

_This is going great_ , Ash thought to himself. _But still…if I can’t dance, I can’t really be Serena, can I?_

Ash had succeeded in dazzling the crowd with a constant stream of attack combos he’d taken directly from Serena’s routine, as well as a trick or two he’d recalled from his contest venture way back in Jubilife City a long time ago.

But still, as the thought of dancing entered his mind, the doubts from earlier started creeping in, too.

_Oh man, we’re so close to pulling this off._

_But there’s still just one thing…_

_Serena always danced in her Showcases…_

_And if I can’t at least do_ something _, someone’s gonna find out…_

_And for all the great combos we’ve landed…_

_We still need something special to tie everything together…_

_But what can I…_

Just as he started getting trapped in his thoughts once again, Ash felt something pull him back out. It tugged on his arm. As he looked down at his feet, he noticed Sylveon had, once again, wrapped its feelers around it.

He took notice of the determination in its eyes. Purely through that look, he knew what it wanted to do. Somehow, someway, it’s like it just knew; and so did he.

“S-Sylveon, do you want me to dance with you?”

“Syl!” the Fairy-type replied, before turning to Braixen. “Syl-Sylveon!”

Then, with a smile on its face, Braixen extended its paw to Ash.

He didn’t have even a moment to contemplate the situation. Without hesitation, or any thought put into it, his body seemed to go into autopilot, reaching out to take the fox Pokémon’s paw in his own hand. Strangely, everything just seemed to click.

As Pancham performed a flurry of somersaults around the stage to keep momentum going in the performance, Braixen pulled Ash in close, a peculiar smile on its face, before twirling him like a ballerina, Sylveon’s grip on his arm tightening, preventing him from tripping and falling over.

After overcoming the initial shock, Ash soon realized he truly had nothing to worry about. If he just let go of his concerns, and just went with the flow, he could trust the two Pokémon to cover his weakness and carry him through the dance.

“All right then, Braixen, Sylveon, let’s _really_ dance!” Ash said, prompting Braixen to spin him around and let go, allowing Sylveon the opportunity to solo dance with the trainer. A somewhat mischievous expression overtaking its face, Sylveon wrapped its feelers around Ash’s waist and lifted him high up into the air.

He felt like a Flying-type. Although his veil shielded it to the audience, his mouth broadened out into a wide, gleeful smile as he spread his arms out like the wings of his Talonflame. It was truly amazing, he thought while gazing out over the entire packed arena. He couldn’t believe the fun he was having.

“Absolutely incredible!” Clemont said, beaming at the display down on the stage.

Bonnie was equally amazed, practically squealing with excitement. “I can’t believe Sylveon and Braixen are dancing with Ash! I never thought I’d seen him dance and not stink at it! It’s almost like he _can_ dance!”

“Well, I think it’s because of what Sylveon felt.”

Bonnie paused and looked up at her brother. “Huh? What Sylveon felt?”

“Mhm.” He nodded. “Precisely. Sylveon uses its feelers to sense its trainer’s inner feelings. If my hypothesis is correct, then Sylveon could sense his desire to dance to ‘complete’ the performance, despite the fact that he’s no good at dancing on his own, and is working with Braixen to make it happen! It’s truly remarkable!”

“Oh yeah, I forgot Sylveon could do that!”

After a few moments, the little girl smirked at the thought of what else Sylveon could’ve sensed from Ash’s inner feelings.

Back on the stage, it was time for the grand finale.

“All right, let’s wrap this up!” Ash shouted. “Pancham, build a mountain with your Stone Edge! Braixen, once it’s complete, use Fire Blast on the Stone Edge! And Sylveon, combine it all with Swift and get ready to bring me in for a landing!”

One by one, the Pokémon followed their commands.

Pancham slammed its fist into the ground, blue-tinted stones rising from below, high into the air.

Braixen spun its branch into a dizzying spiral and launched an intense inferno blast toward the stones, igniting the mountain into a massive blaze.

Sylveon finished the combo with another powerful volley of Swift from its tail. As the stars made contact with the blistering inferno, a hail of red, glistening stardust exploded into the air, before falling back down to earth, as if from the heavens above.

Finally, as the blinding display slowly faded, and the eyes of the spectators refocused, they took notice as the performer who they’d last seen high up in the air, posed in the middle of the stage, atop Braixen’s own shoulder, arms spread wide, with Pancham posing on their own shoulder and Sylveon, front and center, making a heart-shaped frame with its feelers.

“Finish!”

In a flash, the entire arena came unglued, the cheering reaching a critical volume. There wasn’t a single person still in their seat—especially not a particular scientist and his little sister, the latter jumping and down, dancing with a Pikachu, unable to contain the excitement from what she’d just witnessed. Even Mr. Contesta was on his feet, vigorously clapping.

On stage, Ash’s heart was pounding against his chest as he took the opportunity to finally catch his breath. His hands shaking with adrenaline, he felt like he could pass out at any moment. It was only just fully sinking in that it was over.

And that he’d done it.

Before he knew it, Braixen threw its arms around him in a furry embrace, rubbing its nose against his in delight. Soon after, Sylveon and Pancham joined in the fray. Overcome with joy, Ash smiled widely under the veil, and though it was hidden, he could tell the Pokémon knew it was there.

“Thank you so much,” he finally said to them. “You guys are awesome!”

Meanwhile, backstage, a blue-haired performer watched the video screen intently. It was strange. When she’d visited Serena earlier, there had been something off about her, and it wasn’t just the lack of talking or reaction to her teasing. There was _something_ that just wasn’t quite right.

Perhaps she’d caught her at a bad time?

Maybe something she’d said snapped her out of it?

_Or maybe…_

There was a knock at the door.

“Ms. Miette,” a female voice said behind the door, “the judging will begin promptly, so please make your way back to the stage.”

She turned to the door, then to the screen, and then back to the door, before shrugging and making her way out.

“Oh well, maybe I’m just thinking too much of this.”

* * *

“And now, for our final decision, I would like to invite Monsieur Contesta up onto ze stage,” Monsieur Pierre said to the audience, flanked by the gaggle of performers.

One by one, Contesta faced each performer and their Pokémon, and showered them with praise. Though he had been thoroughly impressed by the Kalosian performers, there could only be one winner. Finally, he turned and faced the performer with the Braixen, Pancham, and Sylveon.

“And then, of course, there’s Performer Serena,” Contesta said. “Your performance was simply brilliant. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment, and was positively blown away by your use of attack combinations—in fact, some of them reminded me of some especially interesting tactics I recall from past Pokémon Contests.” He nodded. “It’s clear that you and your Pokémon have an extremely close bond and have the utmost trust in each other.”

With that, Contesta turned around and took several steps toward the audience. “As such, I have made my decision—and there’s no doubt in my mind that this is the correct decision.” He turned to face the performers again. “The winner of the Pokémon Invitational Showcase is…Performer Serena!”

The audience exploded as the spotlight centered on the performer.

Ash felt as if he was frozen in time. His arms went numb, his eyes wide in disbelief, his mouth—under the veil—slack-jawed in total shock.

_I did it._

_I won._

He blinked twice.

_No…_

He blinked several times to assure himself that he was awake, that all this was real.

_Serena won._

“And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen,” Monsieur Pierre declared. “Monsieur Contesta has chosen Performer Serena, and her Pokémon, as the winners of ze prize ribbon!”

Ash clasped his gloved hands together. “We did it, guys!” he said cheerfully. “We won the Showcase!”

“Pancham! Pan!”

“Braixen!”

“Sylveon! Syl!”

With that, Monsieur Pierre invited Ash to the center stage to accept the prize from Mr. Contesta, who carried a classy, black box encasing the prize ribbon. “To celebrate your victory at this Invitational Showcase, I present you with the beautiful Invitational Showcase ribbon!” Contesta said, stepping forward and handing the ribbon to Ash. “Congratulations.”

“Wow, awesome!” he replied, taking the ribbon in hand. “Thank you very much!”

“You know, I don’t know why, but you look kind of familiar, Miss Serena,” Contesta added, suddenly raising an eyebrow and pursing his lips, eyeing the performer with suspicion. “Have you competed in any Pokémon Contests before?”

Ash’s face went blank, and he felt his heart skip a beat.

“Uh, who, m-me?” he replied, pointing a finger to himself before dismissively waving a hand in front of his chest. “Nah, sorry, you’ve probably got me confused with someone else, heh.”

After a moment, Contesta finally retracted his skeptical expression. “Well then, my apologies.” He chuckled. “I guess when you’ve seen as many incredible coordinators as I have, you can tend to think you’ve met them all before.”

Ash exhaled a sigh of relief. “Y-yeah, no problem, sir.”

He could hear Braixen and Pancham chuckling to themselves, as Sylveon just gave a warm—if knowing—smile.

“And with that, we’ve come to the end of ze Pokémon Freestyle Performance Invitational Showcase!” Monsieur Pierre proudly declared. “Thank you all for coming, and we hope to see all of you, plus our lovely performers, again when our next Pokémon Showcase season starts! _Au revoir, mes amis!_ Until next time!”

* * *

“Man, I can’t believe we did it, guys! We actually won!”

As Ash walked through the corridor on the way to the changing room, he couldn’t help but marvel at the entire experience, as Serena’s Pokémon followed by his side.

The more he thought about it all, the more absurd it all seemed, and soon he was overcome with a fit of giggles.

He competed in a Freestyle Performance without screwing up; he actually managed to dance, even if it required a lot of help from Serena’s Pokémon; and, at the end of it all, he managed to win the whole thing on Serena’s behalf without getting caught.

Suddenly, he snorted as his giggles morphed into an even more intense laughing fit. The Pokémon, who had initially looked on with slight confusion, soon joined in as Ash’s laughter became contagious.

After a few moments, their joyous laughter was interrupted by a familiar voice.

“Hey, Serena, hold up!”

Ash jumped in surprise, the Pokémon immediately turning behind them.

_Not again._

Instinctively, he reached for the fedora atop his head and pulled it over his eyes, then pulled veil even closer over his face, as the source of the voice made their way closer.

“I just wanted to congratulate you on your victory,” Miette said, arms folded across her chest. “You were amazing as always, though you definitely had some tricks I haven’t seen before.”

Back straight as a board, Ash nodded. “Mhm, mhm.”

Miette’s eyes narrowed. “Geez, not this again,” she said, practically groaning. “Look, Serena, I want to apologize if you thought I was uncalled for in what I said earlier, but c’mon, the least you could do is tell me _why_ you’re acting like this?”

She took a few steps forward, and before long, she was right at his back.

“Uh—” was all Ash could say before he felt two hands land on his shoulders and spin him around.

“All right, you’re going to tell me what’s going on, Serena,” Miette said, before pulling his veil over his mouth down. “Tell me, does it have _something_ to do with A—”

She froze, open-mouthed, as her eyes darted around the face before her.

_The jawline._

_Those eyes._

_Those cheeks._

“Oh… _ohhh_.”

Ash’s cheeks erupted into a deep shade of red. He could feel Miette’s grip on his shoulders slacken in disbelief.

It was over, he thought to himself. After making it through everything, he fumbled at the very end. He’d ruined everything. He’d broken his promise to Bonnie to keep the secret no matter what.

Just before he could offer a single word of desperate defense or explanation, he watched as a sly grin slowly stretched across the blue-haired performer’s face, catching him completely off-guard. Then, closing her eyes and offering a simple _hmpf_ , Miette patted his shoulders twice.

“Well, now I _really_ feel I might’ve said too much earlier,” she said with a slight giggle. “But oh well, what’s said is said.” She removed her hands from his shoulders and stepped backward. “Anyway, I can tell you’ve got to hurry off, so I won’t hold you up any longer.”

She turned and made her way back down the corridor, before turning her head back over her shoulder. “Oh, one more thing,” she said, before winking. “Be sure to take good care of Ash, _Serena_.”

His heart seemed to stop, as all color—except for red—drained from his body. Before he could even garner the consciousness to muster a response, she was gone.

As he finally regained full control over his body, he turned to see Braixen, Pancham, and Sylveon all snickering to each other.

“Hey!” Ash said, trying to ignore his still beet-red face. “What’s so funny?”

* * *

“And then we were like _wham_! And then Sylveon lifted me into the air and I was like _whoosh_! Man, it was totally awesome!”

Ash stood in the hospital lobby, flailing his arms in excitement as Bonnie and Clemont listened on, their eyebrows creasing as they listened to him recount his performance…for the third time.

“We know, Ash; we watched the whole thing,” Bonnie replied, rolling her eyes. Then, she smiled widely. “But still, you were great, and you won! Our plan worked! I’m so happy!”

Ash rubbed the back of his neck, a touch embarrassed. “I know, but I’m still so psyched that we pulled it off.”

“Pi-Pikachu!” The electric mouse chuckled atop his shoulder. “Pika-pi!”

“And plus, I managed to actually dance!” Ash said proudly, before flailing his arms and kicking his legs haphazardly.

Bonnie placed her hands on her hips and shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

Clemont snickered in agreement watching the spectacle. “Definitely no progress in that department.”

The three were interrupted as the door flew open, the doctor who had been taking care of Serena making his way out.

“Hello, Doctor,” Clemont said. “How’s Serena doing today?”

The doctor smiled. “It’s quite remarkable actually. She’s making one of the fastest recoveries I’ve ever seen.” He nodded. “To be clear, she should still spend at least another day with us, but there’s no doubt she’ll be ready to leave in no time.”

“Wow, that’s great news!” Ash said with a smile. “And not a moment too soon. The Kalos League is just around the corner!”

The doctor cleared his throat. “Anyway, you’re now free to pay your friend a visit,” he said. “I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to see you all. After all, she’s been acting quite restless since this morning.”

Ash stood up and made his way for the door before turning and noticing Clemont and Bonnie still seated, with Bonnie holding her brother’s arm back. “Hmm? You guys coming?”

“I think it’d be best for you and Serena to have some alone time, Ash,” Bonnie said with a grin. “Especially after what you did for her.”

His cheeks glowed a slight shade of pink at the teasing, before he nodded. “I guess that makes sense,” he replied.

Clemont nodded. “I guess we’ll be with you both in a little bit.”

Ash nodded back, then turned and opened the door before heading in and shutting it behind him.

“Hi, Ash.”

Ash took notice of the honey-haired girl, seated upright in her bed, a smile on her face, and returned it with his own.

“Hey, Serena, how’re you holding up?”

“I’m okay, I guess,” she replied, before creasing her brow. “I hope I didn’t worry you all too much.”

“Now c’mon, Serena, you know you were just really excited, and just ended up training harder than you could take.” He chuckled. “You’re strong, alright, but there’s always room to get even stronger!”

Serena nodded. “I guess so,” she replied, before a touch of sadness seemed to enter her eyes. “It’s a shame, though. I did it all for that Showcase, and in the end, I couldn’t even compete.” She sighed. “I kinda feel bad for my Pokémon. They were so excited to compete again—the first time since the Master Class.”

Ash said nothing, reaching back into his pocket.

“And of course, there was that ribbon,” Serena continued, wistfully. “It was so pretty. It’s a shame I didn’t get a chance to win it.”

Before Serena could say another word, Ash extended a black box to her.

“Here.”

Serena stared at the box with her mouth open, utterly perplexed. “Wh-what’s this?”

Ash chuckled. “Just open it.”

Taking the box in hand, she pulled the top off and froze. Her eyes widened and heart jumped at the sight before her.

_The ribbon…_

She could barely speak as her glistening eyes darted between the ribbon and Ash. “Wh-what the…? H-how did you…?”

Ash merely grinned, brushing a finger under his nose. “Well, y’see,” he started, before realizing the thought of actually explaining everything was something he wasn’t quite prepared for yet. “Actually, we can talk about that after you get better, if you don’t mind.”

Serena raised an eyebrow in curiosity, but then shook the thought away. “Sure thing,” she replied, before turning her full attention back to the ribbon. It was even more beautiful in person than it had been in the picture she’d seen. “This ribbon really is beautiful.”

“Why don’t you try it on?” Ash asked.

Serena’s cheeks reddened instantly. “O-oh, y-you think I should, Ash?”

“Definitely!”

“O-okay then,” she replied, before pointing to the hanger on the door, where the hospital staff had hung her clothes just after Ash and company had returned them. “Would you mind passing me my hat?”

Ash nodded and did as told, grabbing her pink fedora from its hook and handing it to her. After a moment, she pinned the ribbon to its side and placed the hat atop her head.

“Ta-daaaa!” Serena practically sang. “What do you think, Ash?”

“You look awesome, Serena!” he replied with a grin and a thumbs-up.

She blushed heavily. He hadn’t said _it_ looked awesome; he’d said _she_ looked awesome.

“Th-thank you so much, Ash,” she replied, before breaking eye contact as a series of thoughts raced through her mind.

There was a moment of silence before Ash spoke up again.

“Hey, Serena, just one more thing,” he said as made his way closer, toward her bed, her eyes rising to meet his again.

Her eyes lit up as she saw a look in his eyes that, for all her traveling with him, she didn’t quite remember seeing before.

He placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. “Thank you for everything. I’m really glad you’re by my side.”


End file.
